


can i lay my head upon your shoulder? if i fall asleep, will it be over?

by crimsonfamily



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Aunts & Uncles, Brotherly Love, Coming Out, Cute Kids, Dress Up, Family, Gen, Long Hair, Tea Parties, also desmond grows his hair out, desmond is a princess, desmond meeting the baby and then loving her unconditionally for the rest of his life, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:02:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonfamily/pseuds/crimsonfamily
Summary: desmond and katrielle through the yearsminor spoilers for azran legacy and any games that came out thereafter
Relationships: Alfendi Layton & Katrielle Layton, Hershel Layton & Desmond Sycamore, Katrielle Layton & Desmond Sycamore, Katrielle Layton & Flora Reinhold, Katrielle Layton & Luke Triton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	can i lay my head upon your shoulder? if i fall asleep, will it be over?

**Author's Note:**

> title is from dr. john by mika https://youtu.be/X8y401PM3ws

“She’s… So tiny…”    
The tiny chubby hand sticking out of the cradle grabbed Desmond’s index finger. His cinnabar eyes were wide with wonder, and a small smile formed on his lips at the happy gurgling noises little Katrielle made.    
“She is, isn’t she?” his brother and the now father of the girl responded softly. “She’s growing rather fast, though. I have only had her for a few months, but she’s already crawling.”    
He hummed slightly and stroke her cheek with his free hand. “She’s most certainly a clever girl.”  _ Just like her father, huh _ .    
“Do you want to hold her?”   
“H-huh? Are you quite sure, Hershel?” Desmond inquired nervously. He hadn’t held a child in his arms in a decade, after all - what if he’s forgotten how not to drop her? What if he startled her? What if–  
“You’re gonna be just fine. You’re her uncle, after all.” 

She soon ended up falling asleep in his arms against his shoulder.

—

“Princess Uncle is in danger! And only I, Katrielle the Brave, can save him!”   
Desmond was perched atop a short, play sized castle tower, clad in one of Flora’s mauve-and-carnation colored, lacy, puffy-sleeved, calf length gowns and with a tiara perched atop his fluffy, now past shoulder length curls – he had grown it out a bit over the years – and with a string of pearls around his neck. He cheered for his knight in shining armor who, atop her noble steed Luke’s back, waved her wooden sword at Alfendi the Destroyer (the dragon guarding the castle that Desmond was “stuck” in). She grabbed harder onto Luke's locks, making him silently wince, as he rose onto his “hind legs” and allowing Katrielle the Brave to deal the finishing blow to the dragon’s heart. As Alfendi clutched his chest and fell to the floor, she held out her hand and helped Desmond climb down, just in time for Hershel to come out of his study.    
“Desmond… Is there a reason as to why you are wearing Flora’s clothes?”   
Katrielle giggled. “It’s because he’s Princess Uncle, duh!”   
“And,” from the doorway, “because the cut of the dress fits his body shape and the colors flatter his complexion.” Katrielle gasped, delighted.    
“Aunt Flora!” she yelled as she sprinted towards her. Flora swiftly placed the groceries in her arms onto the floor to lift the exited 6-years old and hug her close. “You’re right on time for the tea party!”   
Hershel went to fetch the tea that he at some point had started brewing and the cookies Desmond had helped Katrielle bake just a few hours ago. 

Soon after the cookies had been eaten and the tea had been finished, she fell asleep in his lap, with her head on his chest.

—

“Uncle Desmond… Can I ask you something?”    
Desmond twisted his head to the side. His beloved niece, now 22 years of age, had come to stay at his apartment for the weekend. Sitting to his left on the couch, she looked nervous. Downright terrified, actually. He grew worried.    
“Something wrong, Kat?”    
“It’s just… I think I’m… Impaired, in a sense? I… No, nevermind.”   
Desmond’s worry increased tenfold. Her shoulders were shaking.  _ Was she sick? _ “Honey, what makes you think that?” He pulled his curly past-scapula length ponytail to rest over his right shoulder.    
“...”   
“Please, honey, talk to me. You can trust me. What is it that hurts you so?”   
“I… I think I’m different from… Most other girls my age. I…” she inhaled slowly, as if to steady her breath, “I… Don’t really like boys? I would much rather date girls. I’m sorry, please don’t hate me-”   
“That’s all?” Desmond interrupted. He drew her into a hug, exhaling. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, Katrielle.”   
“You don’t think it’s weird..?”    
Desmond did not like the way her voice trembled. “It is perfectly normal, darling. I… I’m the same. Well, the other way around, but… I much prefer men over women.”    
She gasped against his shoulder. “But didn’t you have a wife?”   
“That… Was a coverup.” He was sure he was blushing, with the way his face was starting to heat up. “The one I had a child with was most certainly a partner who I would have married had I been able to, but he was very much a man…”    
Katrielle slowly undid her tight grasp on the shoulder of his shirt. With a teary smile and a joyful voice, she asked, “do you… Perhaps have any pictures of him?”    
He smiled softly, bringing out a huge box of photos from his whole life.

Later that night, they both fell asleep on the couch, and if anyone even dared to comment on how a 22-years old woman clinged to her uncle as she slept, Desmond would not hesitate to throw an angry glare their way.    
Right now, though, they were both content, and that was all that mattered.    


**Author's Note:**

> this is undeniably one of the longest fanworks i've written and it's still rather short lmao


End file.
